It was the discovery of springs in Nevada's barren flats in
the 1800s that drew Jewish gold-seekers to the state's capital,
Carson City, which lies several hundred miles northwest of Las Vegas.
With the construction of railroads linking Las Vegas to Phoenix, Salt
Lake City and Southern California, large numbers of Jews settled in Las
Vegas by the turn of the century. One of them was the Polish-born Adolph
Levy who moved from Illinois to start a dry goods store. In the 1930s,
his niece, Sallie Gordon, gave birth to Las Vegas's first Jewish
baby.

When the rough and tumble gold rush petered out, a more glamorous
industry burst onto the scene. The first casino opened in 1931, and the
glitzy, lucrative business soon caught the attention of New York
mobsters Meyer Lansky and Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel, who opened
the iconic Flamingo Hotel in 1946. In the 1950s, Ben Jaffe built the
Cuban-flavored Tropicana on a 40-acre parcel, and in the 1960s Jay Sarno
and Nate Jacobson designed and constructed the Roman Empire-themed
Caesars Palace. Despite their sinful trades (gambling and alcohol),
Jewish casino and nightclub owners garnered civic respect by investing
in the community. Bootlegger, racketeer and casino owner Moe Dalitz,
'mown as "Mr. Las Vegas," was honored as Humanitarian of
the Year by the American Cancer Research Center and Hospital in 1976,
and he received the ADL's Torch of Liberty award in 1982. When he
died in 1989, he left his considerable fortune to 14 Las Vegas
non-profit organizations.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Jews have been an integral part of non-casino life as well. Hank
Greenspun was the editor and publisher of the Las Vegas Sun until his
death in 1989. An early supporter of the State of Israel, he was active
in real estate, developing Green Valley, which is part of Henderson, a
suburban city within the Las Vegas metropolitan area. His family
continues to control the majority of real estate there today. Another
prominent real estate pioneer was Irwin Molasky, who built Las
Vegas's first enclosed mall, the Boulevard, the first major
hospital, Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, and the first high-rise
condominium.

Today, more than 75,000 Jews live in Las Vegas, and a vibrant
Jewish world of religion and culture thrives. Las Vegas is home to 19
synagogues--three of which are Chabad centers--about 10 kosher
restaurants, four Jewish day schools, a JCC and a popular annual Jewish
film festival. Jews also play prominent roles in politics: Oscar Goodman
served as mayor from 1999 to 2011, and his wife, Carolyn Goodman,
succeeded him. Shelley Berkley served in the U.S. Congress from 1998 to
2011 and made an unsuccessful bid for the Senate in 2012.

Jews continue to be leaders in the casino industty. During the
1990s, Steve Wynn built and revamped many of the hotels on the Las Vegas
Strip, including The Mirage, Treasure Island, the Bellagio (See
photograph on page 62), Wynn and Encore. Sheldon G. Adelson, ranked
among the world's 50 richest people, is chairman and principal
owner of the Las Vegas Sands Corporation, which owns The Venetian and
The Palazzo. Known for his support of Israel and conservative causes and
candidates, he and his wife Miriam have also contributed millions to
strengthening Jewish life in Las Vegas.

PLACES OF WORSHIP

Temple Sinai, a Reform synagogue, grew out of a merger between
Temple Beth Am and Adat An El in 2007 templesinailv.org

Temple Beth Sholom, the oldest Conservative synagogue in the state
of Nevada (1931), has more than 600 families in its congregation
bethsholondv.org

Congregation Shaare Teffila was founded in 1981 as the first
Orthodox synagogue in Las Vegas and houses an eruv and mikveh.
shaarei-tefilla.org

Ner Tamid is the largest Reform synagogue in Nevada. When the
synagogue started in 1988, it was home to 60 families and today it has
grown to 600 families. lvnertamid.org

Midbar Kodesh was founded in 1995 and is a Conservative synagogue
in the Southeast corner of the Las Vegas Valley. midbarkodesh.org

SITES OF INTEREST

The Adelson Educational Campus was founded 30 years ago as The
Hebrew Academy Las Vegas. The Campus is home to three religious Jewish
day schools and one community Jewish day school for 600 children ranging
from 18 months to 18 years old. The school's state-of-the-art
facilities are open to the community and are a gift from the Adelsons.
adelsoncampus.org

The Holocaust Resource Center is an open library that provides
teacher training about the Holocaust. lvhresourcecenter.com

FESTIVALS AND EVENTS

The Jewish Film Festival, now in its 12th year, is the
longest-running film festival in Las Vegas and is attended by more than
3,500 arunially. January 13-27. desempace.org

Israel Independence Day is an annual community celebration
featuring a concert and Israeli food. April 17,2013.

Where Art Thou is an upscale happy hour sponsored three times a
year by the JCC. Featured artists display and sell their art, and kosher
wine and desserts are served. Locations and times vary.jccsn.org